Can you believe that Christmas Day is less than 2 weeks away? As we all attempt to get some last-minute menu details in place, we thought it would be fun to host a recipe swap, right here on the blog! If you’d like to participate (and we hope you will), just post a holiday recipe and any story that might go along with it in the comments below.

To get us started, we have some yummy treats from a few of our favorite ladies at the Home Office:

If you’re not quite sure whether or not you want to share those delicious recipes and memories that are running through your mind right now, we’re sweetening the deal by adding a giveaway to help you preserve, celebrate, and remember your holiday table the way you would any other tradition. Share a recipe in the comments below and be a subscriber to this blog for a chance to win one of FIVE Cut Above® Holiday Kitchen Bundles!

Whether they are old family recipes or new favorites, the meals and goodies we prepare become part of the holidays themselves. The Holiday Kitchen Cut Above® recipe kit includes everything you need to get all those recipes in one place together with the stories and memories that make them so special—and it makes a wonderful gift, especially when filled up with your tried and true recipes!

Share a favorite recipe with us or share more than one to increase your chances to win a Cut Above® Holiday Kitchen bundle. (Posting the same recipe multiple times does not count and will not increase your chances of winning!) If you are not yet a subscriber, all you have to do is push the big blue button on the side bar that says “Subscribe to list” for your entry to count for the prize drawing. You have until noon tomorrow, Friday, December 14 (MST) to enter. Even if you miss the deadline, share a recipe anyway! The more the merrier!

Now remember, this Holiday Kitchen recipe kit is only available for purchase through the end of the year. Make sure to get yours while you still can!

Boil together sugar, butter and syrup for 1 1/2 minutes after mixture comes to a full rolling boil. Remove from heat. Add soda – mixture will foam. Stir until foaming slows but doesn’t stop. Stir in nuts.
Pour 1/3 of the box of Crispix into a microwave safe bowl. Pour syrup over. Toss gently. Microwave on high 30 seconds. Remove from microwave and toss in another third of the box. Microwave 30 seconds. Remove and repeat with last third of box. Spread on wax paper to cool. Break in pieces. Store in an airtight container.

Place bacon in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium heat until browned. Drain, crumble, and set aside.
In a stock pot or Dutch oven, melt the margarine over medium heat. Whisk in flour until smooth. Gradually stir in milk, whisking constantly until thickened.
Stir in potatoes and onions. Bring to a boil, stirring frequently.
Reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes.
Mix in bacon, cheese, sour cream, salt, and pepper. Continue cooking, stirring frequently, until cheese is melted.

My mom made these every year and were always a hit with everyone. Now, I make them, package in decorative tins and give to some of my neighbors. You need a special “iron” to make them, kind of like a waffle iron, and take a bit of time, but so worth it.

Mom’s Pizzelles

1/2 cup margarine

2/3 cup sugar

3 eggs

1 3/4 to 2 cups flour

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. vanilla

Beat margarine until smooth. Gradually add sugar and beat well. Add eggs and vanilla and beat. Sift flour, baking powder and salt into egg mixture. Use a trounded teaspoon for each cookie. Dust with powdered sugar while warm. Store in sealed container.

Ÿ 8 ounces of semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate (high quality, 62% cacao or higher), well chopped into small pieces

Ÿ 1/2 cup of heavy whipping cream

Ÿ 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract

Truffle coatings

Ÿ Cocoa powder

Ÿ Finely chopped walnuts

Ÿ Finely chopped almonds

Ÿ Chocolate sprinkles

METHOD

1 Heat cream to a simmer: In a small, heavy saucepan bring the heavy whipping cream to a simmer (stir and scrape down the sides with a spatula every few minutes).

2 Make chocolate base: Place the chocolate in a separate bowl. Pour the cream over the chocolate, add the vanilla, and allow to stand for a few minutes then stir until smooth.

3 Refrigerate for 2 hours: Allow to cool, then place in the refrigerator for two hours.

4 Roll into balls and chill overnight: Use a teaspoon to roll out balls of the ganache. Roll in your hands quickly (as it will melt from the heat of your hands) and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Place in the refrigerator overnight.

5 Roll in cocoa powder: Roll in cocoa powder, chopped nuts, or spirinkles and serve, or place back in the refrigerator until needed.

I started to make these as Christmas gifts for family when I was a broke, University student. It was hard to resist licking my fingers when rolling them into balls! My family would pounce on them each year. I haven’t made them in ages, maybe this year I will 😉

On a floured surface, divide batter in half and pat each half into a log approximately 14 inches long and 1 1/2 inches wide.
Place on cookie sheet and bake for 30 minutes or until firm.
Cool on a wire rack.
Reduce oven temp to 300 degrees. Cut biscotti into 1/2 inch slices. Place upright on cookie sheet and bake for an additional 20 minutes.

Break pretzels into bite-size pieces and place in a large bowl. Combine remaining ingredients; pour over pretzels. Stir to coat.
Pour into an ungreased 15x10x1-in. baking pan. Bake at 200° for 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes.

Melt butter, stir in brown sugar, corn syrup and salt. Bring to a boil stirring constantly, then boil without stirring for 5 minutes.
Remove from heat, stir in baking soda and vanilla. Grafually pour over popcorn, mixing well. Turn into 2 large cookie sheets (greased) or a large roaster.
Bake in 200F oven for 1 hour stirring every 15 min. Remove from oven. Stir again in 5 min. And let cool. Store in tightly covered containers. You could add peanuts.

Melt white bark in microwave safe bowl for 1 minute. Microsoft another 30-60 seconds, stir and add peanut butter and microwave 30-60 seconds. Stir and make sure it is completely melted. Pour into a large foil lined cookie sheet. Microsoft chocolate bark for 1 minute. Stir and microwave for 30-60 seconds. If not completely melted microwave another 30 seconds. Drop by spoonfuls onto white mixture and take a knife and swirl it to make a marbled effect. Put in fridge to cool about one hour. Cut into squares and store in an airtight container.

Jeanette Lynton

Meet Jeanette Lynton—wife, mother, artist, and Founder & CEO of one of the world’s leading companies in the papercrafting industry. This blog is dedicated to all who share her love of creativity. Visit often, share your stories, and become family!

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